Discomfort and cramping
Gundry MD Total Restore
A three-capsule daily formula of L-glutamine, zinc carnosine, N-acetyl-D-glucosamine and a dozen plant extracts.
- Format
- Capsule, once a day
- Type
- Amino acid and herbal
- Cost
- $2.33 a day
- Customer rating
- 4.1 out of 5 from 9,333 ratings from Amazon
What customers consistently report
- Less bloating and calmer digestion within a couple of weeks
- A quick change in how their gut feels
- A refund given when it did not work
Those are the themes that recur across the reviews. Moderate review confidence — Amazon shows 4.1 from 9,333 independent ratings, but Trustpilot (3.5 from 7,366) and the Better Business Bureau (4.05 from 1,284) cover the whole Gundry MD brand, and the brand’s own “41,000+ verified 5-star reviews” figure spans all of its products.
Why it might work
The label combines an amino acid (L-glutamine), a zinc and carnosine compound (zinc L-carnosine), N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, magnesium beta-hydroxybutyrate, and about a dozen plant extracts and powders including grape seed, licorice root, wormwood, cinnamon, maitake and berberine. Glutamine is a fuel for the cells lining the small intestine, and zinc carnosine is studied for its effect on gut-lining stability in laboratory work and in two small human permeability studies, which is the basis of the “gut lining” claim. In trials that measured symptoms, glutamine was given at about 15 g a day, and the zinc carnosine study used 75 mg a day. This label gives 213 mg of glutamine, 10 mg of zinc carnosine and 3 mg of berberine, so the trial results cannot be read across directly. The remaining plant ingredients are each 10 to 58 mg, and no per-ingredient evidence at that level was found.
What the research supports
No trial of the finished product was found. Glutamine improved symptoms and gut permeability in post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome in a placebo-controlled trial (79.6% responders), but at 15 g a day; this label has 213 mg, about one-seventieth of that. The zinc carnosine ingredient, PepZin GI, has a small crossover study in 10 healthy volunteers taking an anti-inflammatory drug, at 75 mg a day; the label has 10 mg. A meta-analysis of glutamine trials found no overall effect on gut permeability.
What the label discloses
Every ingredient has its own amount on the panel, so there is no proprietary blend, and the shellfish source of the N-acetyl-D-glucosamine is stated. The brand says it is made in a GMP facility and tested by an independent laboratory, but names no laboratory and links no certificate of analysis. The wormwood species is named differently on a 2022 label record (Artemisia absinthium) and on today’s page (Artemisia annua), and the licorice is not stated to be deglycyrrhizinated.
Who this tends to suit
We match this product to people reporting bloating, gas, general abdominal discomfort and irregular bowel habits. It fits someone whose priority is day-to-day comfort, a steady daily routine or resetting after a course of antibiotics or an upset. Whether it is the best fit for you depends on the rest of your answers — what you have already tried, what format you will take, and anything that has to be ruled out.
Where it may not fit
The label supports no added sweeteners, dairy-free and gluten-free. We flag this product for anyone pregnant or breastfeeding or taking prescription medication, and the quiz removes it rather than recommending it in those cases. That is a caution about who should be deciding, not a claim about the product. A capsule only works if you will take it once a day, every day.
Side effects and what to be aware of
Some reviewers report no effect, others stop because of the price, and a few report diarrhea in the first days, feeling ill, or neck and shoulder pain. The label states that it contains crab and shrimp shellfish and advises talking to a doctor before use with a medical condition or medication. Some reviewers describe auto-renewing subscriptions and paying return shipping.
Common questions
Does Total Restore work?
No trial of the finished product was found. Glutamine helped irritable bowel symptoms in trials that used about 15 g a day, and the label has 213 mg. Zinc carnosine kept gut permeability from rising in a 10-person crossover study at 75 mg a day, and the label has 10 mg. Amazon reviewers are split: 62% give five stars and 11% give one star.
What are Total Restore side effects?
The label lists none beyond a general instruction to talk to a doctor if you have a medical condition or take medication, and it states that it contains crab and shrimp shellfish. Reviewers report diarrhea in the first days, nausea, feeling worse, and neck and shoulder pain; others report none. The licorice root powder is not described as deglycyrrhizinated, and the glycyrrhizin in whole licorice can raise blood pressure in some people.
How much does Total Restore cost?
On Gundry MD’s site one bottle is $69.95, $49.95 with a free account, or $41.95 on a monthly subscription. A bottle is 30 servings of three capsules, so $69.95 is $2.33 a day. Amazon lists $69.95 for one bottle and $157.95 for three.
How does the Gundry MD subscription and refund policy work for Total Restore?
Gundry MD is a Better Business Bureau accredited business rated A+, with a 90-day money-back guarantee and its own Amazon seller account. Some Trustpilot reviewers who bought Total Restore report subscriptions they did not expect, shipments charged before they could return them, and return shipping costs; the brand replies to most and says refunds require returning the product. Trustpilot shows 3.5 from 7,366 brand-wide reviews.
Total Restore vs Bio Complete 3: what is the difference?
Both are Gundry MD capsules at a $69.95 list price. Total Restore is three capsules a day of glutamine (213 mg), zinc carnosine (10 mg), N-acetyl-D-glucosamine and plant extracts, with no probiotic, and it contains shellfish. Bio Complete 3 is two capsules a day of a prebiotic fiber blend (450 mg), tributyrin (300 mg) and two probiotic species (22 mg).
Before you take this. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or taking prescription medication. Nothing on this page is medical advice, and no supplement diagnoses, treats, cures or prevents disease.
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Related reading
Background on how this type of product works, read from the trial evidence.